Safe drinking water tops Americans’ concerns
A new Gallup poll shows that half of Americans are worried about the pollution of drinking water. Other health-related worries include toxic waste in soil and water (44 percent) and air pollution (38 percent).
The poll shows Americans’ concern about environmental problems has mainly decreased but the pollution of drinking water has topped the list of concerns since 1990.
Get information about ground water and drinking water from the Environmental Protection Agency.
These two stories about how reporters investigated contaminated water and the related resources also might be helpful to reporters looking into similar issues:
- Reporter finds efforts to monitor groundwater contamination leave much to be desired
- Paper’s investigation reveals contaminated drinking water
(Hat tip to Al Tompkins)
Overwhelmed sewage systems spread pathogens
Thousands of sewage systems around the country have been overwhelmed and dumped “human waste, chemicals and other hazardous materials into rivers and lakes and elsewhere,” according to Charles Duhigg in the latest installment of The New York Times series, “Toxic Waters.”
Despite more than $60 billion distributed to cities to upgrade sewer systems in the 1970s and 1980s, the Times‘ analysis of data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that – in the past three years – more than 9,400 of the nation’s 25,000 sewage systems have violated the Clean Water Act of 1972. Fewer than one in five were fined or penalized.
Duhigg cites research that suggests as many as 20 million people a year get sick from water contaminated by bacteria and pathogens as well as a study showing that the number of children who visited one Milwaukee hospital with serious diarrhea rose when local sewers overflowed.
Related
- Paper’s investigation reveals contaminated drinking water
- Reporter finds efforts to monitor groundwater contamination leave much to be desired
Herbicide levels high in many water supplies
Filed under: Health journalism, Hot Health Headline
Recent reports indicate that current federal standards may allow dangerous levels of the herbicide atrazine into water supplies, especially in central states. According to The New York Times‘ Charles Duhigg, fetuses appear to be the highest-risk group: “recent studies suggest that, even at concentrations meeting current federal standards, the chemical may be associated with birth defects, low birth weights and menstrual problems.” 
Duhigg also found that, because some localities don’t check atrazine levels frequently enough, dangerous spikes the levels of the herbicide found in water supplies may go undetected.
Duhigg also notes an interesting local wrinkle: “Forty-three water systems in six states — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi and Ohio — recently sued atrazine’s manufacturers to force them to pay for removing the chemical from drinking water.” On a national level, new EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has promised to take a closer look at the regulation of atrazine and similar chemicals.
Related
The Natural Resources Defense Council’s “Poisoning the Well” report on the dangers and prevalence of atrazine
Leah Beth Ward tells how the Yakima Herald-Republic reported the “Hidden wells, dirty water” series. Greg Barnes of the Fayetteville Observer gives a behind-the-scenes look at how he reported the award-winning “What lies beneath” series that revealed contaminated drinking water in the Fayetteville area. Both AHCJ pieces also provide advice and resources for reporters looking to do similar stories in their own areas.
Fact sheet on atrazine from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry circa 2003.
Obama releases documents from advocacy groups
Jennifer LaFleur at ProPublica points out that “President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team seems to be following through with its promise of transparency by posting documents from its meetings with industry and advocacy groups.”
There are some health-related documents among the postings:
AIDS in America: An agenda endorsed by 15 national organizations that calls for “the development of a National AIDS Strategy for the U.S. that is designed to lower HIV incidence, increase access to HIV care, and reduce racial disparities in the epidemic and integrate HIV with STD, viral hepatitis and TB programs at the local level.”
Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum: “Priorities for the new administration to improve the health and well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders”
Analysis of HIV/AIDS Priority Issues for Immediate Action: List of issues for “immediate action” from the AIDS Action Council
Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration: Agenda from a coalition of about 60 medical, public health, research, religious and religiously affiliated, women’s health, legal, and other advocacy organizations.
National Water Policy Dialogue: The American Water Resources Association, the Environment and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Wildlife Federation submitted a summary of the National Water Policy Dialogues conducted by AWRA at the request of 10 federal water agencies. Water quality is among their concerns.
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